Government
Which of the following was written in 1776 and was an agreement among the thirteen original states that formed a loose "league of friendship"?
The Articles of Confederation
In 1994, which of the following Republican groups attempted to return many functions to the states?
Devolution Revolution
During the Enlightenment, serious thinkers began to embrace the idea of suppressing oppressive governments through which of the following?
During the Enlightenment, serious thinkers began to embrace the idea of suppressing oppressive governments through which of the following?
A group of people named by each state legislature to select the president and vice president is known as which of the following?
Electoral college
The Anti-Federalists were NOT concerned about which of the following?
Establishing three branches of government would be too confusing
Which of the following divides the power of government between national and state governments?
Federalism
Which one of the following represents the basic values of democratic political systems that preserve freedom?
Liberty and equality
Which of the following was written in 1215, established the belief that the monarch's rule was not absolute, and provided the basis for the later development of parliament?
Magna Carta
Which of the following theories did John Locke develop?
The Social Contract Theory, where he argued that all individuals are naturally free and, upon giving their consent when they become members of the society, they consequently have the right to revolt against a government that is acting improperly
The most common indication that a government is ruled by law is which of the following?
The existence of a written constitution
Which of the following is an accurate observation of a political trend?
The factors that contribute to American political attitudes and behavior are family, gender, religion, race, ethnicity, and region
Which THREE of the following are the main factors that affect news coverage?
The journalist The source of political news, the politicians themselves The consumers of news
Which of the following is NOT a "delegated power"?
The power to participate in the nuclear arms race
The belief of "divine right" is which of the following?
The ruler's authority to rule is a God-given right
The situations listed below illustrate when voter-turnout was low in the United States EXCEPT for which ONE of the following?
The scandals of the past several decades have fostered a lower correlation between self-efficacy and voting
A "confederation" is characterized by which THREE of the following statements?
The state or local government is supreme The state or local government is supreme The state or local government is supreme
Which ONE of the following is a main argument against interest groups?
They diminish American democracy because there are interest groups that are so powerful, such as the wealthy, that their voices crowd out all the others
The media's role as watchdog over the government is important because of which of the following?
They expose government waste They serve public interest They expose government corruption
Which of the following characterizes how a minority political party can check the power of the majority political party?
They hold some offices, keeping the other party from complete control, and can publicly criticize the policies of a president elected by the other party
Which of the following is NOT true of lobbyists?
They provide an unbiased view of the political landscape and their issue
The Bill of Rights was adopted to satisfy which of the following?
To guarantee explicit protections for individual rights and civil liberties To allay the concerns of Anti-Federalists, who opposed the Constitution because they thought it lacked sufficient protections of individual rights To alleviate concerns that the more powerful central government created in the Constitution would lead to tyranny
"Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. And the Congress may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof." Source: The United States Constitution, Article IV, Section 1, ratified June 21, 1788 Based on this excerpt, Article IV, Section 1 of the United States Constitution expresses the responsibility of each state to do which of the following?
To recognize the public acts, records, and civil judicial proceedings of every other state
Politicians might leak information to the media because of which ONE of the following?
To test public reaction without admitting consideration by the government To change public opinion To gain favor with reporter
Which of the following characteristics is NOT associated with high levels of political participation?
Turnout among men has always exceeded that of women
Which ONE of the following statements is ACCURATE in regards to open and closed primaries?
Voters do not need to declare party preference to vote for nominees in an open primary and only declared members of a party can vote in a closed primary
Political candidates that shift their positions based on the results of public opinion polls is known as which of the following?
Waffling
Which TWO of the following are examples of how polls are used?
When a candidate wanted to know how many people in his district know who he is what he does When a newspaper wanted to know how people feel about specific issues
Which ONE of the following attitudes can NOT be attributed to the factors that contribute to American political culture?
Which ONE of the following attitudes can NOT be attributed to the factors that contribute to American political culture?
Both the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution support which ONE of the following foundational principles? Select one: a. Separation of powers b. Purely democratic structure of government c. Consent of the governed d. Republicanism
c
"No free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions, or outlawed or exiled, or deprived of his standing in any other way, nor will we proceed with force against him, or send others to do so, except by the lawful judgement of his equals or by the law of the land. To no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice." Source: John, King of England (1199-1216), The Magna Carta, signed June 15, 1215 Based on this excerpt, the Magna Carta influenced which ONE of the following fundamental principles of American government?
right to due process of law
Candidates for Congress must be selected on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even-numbered years.
true
The primary function of the Federal Election Commission (FEC) is to administer and enforce the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA), the statute that governs the financing of federal elections.
true
The federal system of government is exemplified in which ONE of the following countries?
us
Which ONE of the following characterizes "weak political parties" as an institutional barrier to voter participation?
Political parties are not strongly organized at the local level
Which ONE of the following statements about polls is INACCURATE?
Polls can be completely accurate because a sample replicates the universe exactly
Pollsters follow several important steps in gathering accurate statistics EXCEPT for which ONE of the following?
Pollsters follow several important steps in gathering accurate statistics EXCEPT for which ONE of the following?
When states cannot tax imports or exports, they are exercising which of the following?
Prohibited powers
Which of the following is an example of inherent powers of the national government?
Which of the following is an example of inherent powers of the national government?
Which of the following elections presented the most famous example of public opinion polls missing the mark when pollsters predicted a landslide victory for Thomas E. Dewey, but instead, Harry Truman won?
1948 presidential election
Which of the following parties rarely win major elections and have never won a presidential election?
3rd
Which ONE of the following individuals wrote about three "branches" of government that checked one another's power? Select one: a. Montesquieu b. John Locke c. Mozart d. Rousseau
A
Which THREE of the following are reasons why governments exist? Select one or more: a. To create rules b. To punish opposition c. To protect people from conflicts d. To provide law and order
A,C,D
Political parties serve which of the following functions?
Inform the public Check the power of the other party Organize the government
Which of the following actions would create the most tension between the competing values of rule of law and limited government?
Investigating journalists for publishing news stories critical of the president
"Federalism" is described by which TWO of the following statements?
It is a compromise meant to eliminate the disadvantages of a "unitary" and a "confederate" system Power is shared by the national and state government
The Federal Election Campaign Act did which of the following?
Placed some control on campaign financing
To ensure the ratification of the Constitution, which ONE of the following changes were necessary?
The addition of the Bill of Rights
Which of the following characteristics describes "individualism"?
Which of the following characteristics describes "individualism"?
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the Articles of Confederation?
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the Articles of Confederation?
The toleration of Catholics in Maryland and Quakers in Pennsylvania are examples of which of the following fundamental values? Select one: a. Religious freedom b. Self-government c. Rule of law d. Equality of opportunity
a
Which of the following was written in 1215, established the belief that the monarch's rule was not absolute, and provided the basis for the later development of parliament? Select one: a. Magna Carta b. Petition of Rights c. Constitution d. English Bill of Rights
a
Around 350 B.C., Aristotle came up with which ONE of the following theories? Select one: a. National Law that believed that the society should be ruled by strong leaders. b. Natural Law that believed that the society should be governed by certain ethical principles. c. Common Law that believed that the society should hold the common people accountable to their own actions. d. Power that believed that a powerful and autocratic leader is essential to bring order to the society.
b
During the Enlightenment, serious thinkers began to embrace the idea of suppressing oppressive governments through which of the following? Select one: a. Benevolent society b. Popular consent c. Popular election d. Common well-being
b
The Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower sailed for Virginia in 1620 but got lost and landed at Plymouth in present-day Massachusetts. They found themselves cohabitating with no official charter to prescribe governance over them. Instead, they developed the Mayflower Compact, which in essence declared they would rule themselves. The Pilgrims' development of the Mayflower Compact is an example of which of the following fundamental values? Select one: a. Equality of all citizens b. Self-government c. Rule of law d. Personal liberty
b
The basis of "sovereignty" is the recognition that which of the following is true? Select one: a. equality was possible if only one race dominated the society. b. protection was easier if people stayed together in groups and if they all agreed that one or some in the group should have more power than others. c. freedom was easier to achieve if all people banded together and toppled the corrupt government. d. security was easier if people spied on each other and notified the authorities of suspicious individuals
b
"It is equally evident, that the members of each department should be as little dependent as possible on those of the others.... But the great security against a gradual concentration of the several powers in the same department, consists in giving to those who administer each department the necessary constitutional means and personal motives to resist encroachments of the others." Source: James Madison, President of the United States (1809-1817), The Federalist Papers: No. 51, published February 8, 1788 In this excerpt, Madison is explaining which ONE of the following fundamental principles of the U.S. Constitution? Select one: a. Limited government b. Judicial review c. Checks and balances d. Due process
c
Many of the fundamental principles found in the United States Constitution (1787) were based on which of the following? Select one: a. rule of absolute monarchs in Europe b. concept of salutary neglect c. writings of Enlightenment philosophers d. influence of British Loyalists
c
The American government has its roots in a seventeenth and eighteenth century European movement that questioned the traditional authority of the monarch to rule and was known as which of the following? Select one: a. War of the Roses b. Black Death c. Enlightenment d. French Revolutions
c
Thomas Jefferson incorporated John Locke's idea of the social contract theory in the Declaration of Independence because this idea did which of the following? Select one: a. called for a gradual change of government b. supported the divine right of kings c. justified the overthrow of a government that denies individual liberties d. considered economic rights more important than inalienable rights
c
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." Source: United States Constitution, Amendement I, adopted December 15, 1791 The First Amendment protects citizens rights for which of the following? Select one: a. Refusing vaccinations because your church teaches against it b. Writing a letter to the editor that criticizes the government c. Holding a peaceful protest against excessive use of force by police d. All of the answers are correct
d
In order to draw a line before an individual seizes power that greatly restricts the liberties of others, democratic societies expect balance by achieving a compromise between which of the following? Select one: a. Power and freedom b. Wealth and charity c. Truth and lies d. Liberty and equality
d
The Supreme Court can decide, or rule, that a state or federal law is unconstitutional. Which of the following fundamental principles of American government does this illustrate? Select one: a. Popular sovereignty b. Due process c. Limited government d. Judicial review
d
Which of the following reasons lead the American colonies to seek a new government after 150 years of British rule? Select one: a. The British government had wholeheartedly allowed them to be self-governing. b. The American colonists' experience with local militias prompted them to create a new government. c. The British Constitution had inspired the American colonists to create their own government. d. The domestic instability that followed the American Revolution prompted a call for a new type of government with a constitution to guarantee liberty.
d
Which ONE of the following statements is true concerning the historical development of government? Select one: a. Things were stagnant in government development for hundreds of years. b. Aristotle continued to develop more theories about government. c. Several Greek philosophers came up with revolutionary thoughts about government. d. No theories about government had been developed until the modern times.
A
Criticizing the party in power and offering their own solutions to political problems characterize which of the following political party roles?
Acting as a watchdog
The government agencies that aimed to relieve poverty and economic distress of farmers, homeowners, businesses, laborers, and banks during the Great Depression were called which of the following?
Alphabet agencies
Polls can be completely accurate because a sample replicates the universe exactly
Avenues for participation are decreasing
Which of the following explains how the Supreme Court decisions in Marbury v. Madison and McCulloch v. Maryland made the role of the Supreme Court and the power of the federal government clear?
By establishing judicial review and the supremacy of federal laws over state laws
Which THREE of the following actions are ways that people may participate in politics?
Calling the police about neighborhood issues Making presentations to local school boards or city council Writing their representative or senator
Which of the following is a type of grant that is appropriated by Congress to states for a specific purpose and allocated by a precise formula with detailed conditions imposed by the national government?
Categorical grants
Which of the following situations accurately describe "democracy"?
Citizens have the responsibility to choose their officials thoughtfully and wisely
Which ONE of the following powers does NOT fall under the federal system of government?
Congressional powers
The fact that both major political parties in the United States believe in the Constitution, liberty, equality, and individualism reflects which of the following?
Consensus of values
Which of the following statements accurately characterizes "liberal" ideology?
Favors the use of government power to regulate the economy and bring about justice and equality of opportunity
Broadly based political parties like those in the United States tend to reduce and moderate political conflict by doing which of the following?
Forcing conflicting groups to agree to compromise solutions
Which of the following summarizes the Great (Connecticut) Compromise?
Formed our bicameral legislature
Which of the following is an example of a western unitary government?
France
Which ONE of the following ideas does NOT particularly describe "political culture"?
Freedom to pursue a better life
In 1932, George Gallup founded "modern polling" when he did which of the following?
He polled his mother-in-law's constituency to find out if she would win the election in Iowa
Which ONE of the following statements accurately describes "liberty"?
Most people believe in the right to be free, as long as another's rights are not abused
Which former President of the United States won the 1980 election and claimed that the federal government, in its attempts to improve society, was actually eroding individual freedoms?
Reagan
"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, not prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." Source: The United States Constitution, Amendment X, adopted December 15, 1791 Based on this excerpt, the Tenth Amendment of the United States Constitution describes which of the following?
Reserved Power
Which ONE of the following individuals believed communities were most justly governed by the "general will" or "majority rule" of their citizens?
Rousseau
Former U.S. President Richard Nixon resigned from office before he faced impeachment charges for his role in the Watergate scandal, which involved a break-in and theft. Nixon's resignation showed which of the following fundamental values in American government?
Rule of law
Organized interest groups apply pressure to the government in several ways EXCEPT for which ONE of the following?
Running candidates for office to change public policy
You have worked hard with your interest group to write a bill about your favorite cause. You have a sponsor for the bill in Congress. When you meet with your representative, they say that they cannot promise the bill will be passed, even though they strongly agree with it. Which of the following fundamental concepts of American government does this reflect?
Separation of powers
Which ONE of the following social and economic characteristics is NOT strongly associated with high levels of political participation?
Sexual orientation
"The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States . . . " Source: The United States Constitution, Article I, Section 2, ratified June 21, 1788 Based on this excerpt, which of the following statements best explains why the framers of the Constitution included this provision?
Shorter terms in office makes incumbents more likely to be responsive to the needs of their constituents, as they face more frequent bids for reelection than senators do
Which ONE of the following is NOT considered an institutional barrier that could impact voter turnout?
Strong political parties
"In order to lay a due foundation for that separate and distinct exercise of the different powers of government, which to a certain extent is admitted on all hands to be essential to the preservation of liberty, it is evident that each department should have a will of its own..." Source: James Madison, President of the United States (1809-1817), The Federalist Papers: No. 51, published February 8, 1788 In this excerpt, Madison emphasizes the importance of which of the following?
The division of power between the different branches of government
Which of the following actions is most likely to cause tension between the competing values of individualism and rule of law? Select one: a. Decreasing military spending b. Harsher criminal penalties for use of recreational drugs c. Developing a corporate policy that promotes women and minorities to leadership positions d. Increasing environmental regulations to reduce pollution
b
Which ONE of the following eighteenth century English philosophers theorized that the right to rule came from the "consent of the governed"? Select one: a. Rousseau b. Shakespeare c. John Locke d. Montesquieu
c